


I've Been Waiting ( For You )

by comicpages



Series: Coffee Shop ( Blues ) [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Aromantic Asexual Pidge | Katie Holt, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), I Don't Even Know, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-03-05
Packaged: 2019-03-27 08:39:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13877259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/comicpages/pseuds/comicpages
Summary: Lance Mcclain was in love with someone he had never even met.He didn’t know their name or gender, nor did he know their age or nationality, but he did know that one day he would.  One day, he’d be able to list off every single fact there was to know.  One day, he’d be able to hold their hand, and kiss their lips, and wake up in the mornings wrapped up in their arms.  One day, the mark on his wrist promised, he would be with someone who the universe had specifically made for him.  Someone who fit with him like a matching puzzle piece— and frankly, he couldn’t wait.





	I've Been Waiting ( For You )

Lance Mcclain was in love with someone he had never even met.

He didn’t know their name or gender, nor did he know their age or nationality, but he did know that one day he would. One day, he’d be able to list off every single fact there was to know. One day, he’d be able to hold their hand, and kiss their lips, and wake up in the mornings wrapped up in their arms. One day, the mark on his wrist promised, he would be with someone who the universe had specifically made for him. Someone who fit with him like a matching puzzle piece— and frankly, he couldn’t wait.

The nineteen year old Cuban - American was in love with the idea of love, and he was prepared to wait for it as long as he needed to.

“Stop daydreaming!” A voice huffed, pulling the man from his thoughts and instead causing his attention to focus in on the present, “We have two hours until class and you still haven’t done your homework. Can’t you at least try to be productive?”

Across from him sat Katie– Pidge– Holt, the most aggressive little gremlin - humanoid hybrid that Lance had ever had the pleasure of meeting. A gremlin - human hybrid that also happened to be one of his best friends, but that was hardly the point. The pair had met in elementary school, and from that moment on they were practically inseparable, not that either of them minded.

“My mark has been… stinging recently? It’s never done that before. Do you think it… means something? Maybe he… she… they are close?”

Blue eyes were wide with hope as Lance gazed across the table, as though hoping they’d nod their head in agreement. Pidge was always honest, after all, even if it was something that people didn’t want to hear. The quality was both a good and bad thing, good because honesty was a great quality, bad because the honesty tended to lead to his feelings being hurt.

With a shrug, Pidge’s attention turned to the laptop in front of them, their fingers quickly moving across the keyboard before they paused, eyes scanning over whatever their google search had produced, before finally they offered a nod.

“It’s possible. Or it’s just wishful thinking. ‘Guess you’re just going to have to wait and find out like everyone else, huh?” The answer wasn’t exactly what he wanted to hear, but with a nod Lance decided it was good enough at the very least. He wasn’t one of the lucky ones, the people who got a clock on their wrist that counted down to the exact moment they’d meet their other half; of course, those people sometimes had to spend forty years staring at the clock, watching the minutes tick down one by one. To him it sounded like both a curse and a gift, because at least they knew when they needed to be prepared.

Lance had gotten his soul mark at exactly eight o’clock on his fourteenth birthday. Accompanied with a slight pinching sensation, the dark outline of what seemed to be a rocket ship had appeared on his arm, officially confirming that someone was out there, waiting for him.

Now all he had to do was find them.

The task was proving to be more difficult than fourteen year old Lance had anticipated. After over four years of searching, hoping that fate would bring them together, his patience was wearing thin. A person could only force so many smiles before people noticed, he could only act like the wait wasn’t literally tearing apart his insides for so long. Eventually, Pidge had called him out on it. Soon after Hunk, the third member of their little group and the person who Lance considered to be his platonic soulmate, had noticed as well. Since then, the two had done their best to keep their best friend happy and occupied– and usually it worked, except for in moments like this.

Hunk had found his soulmate, a young woman named Shay who had been in their Astronomy class, in their freshman year. Lance had noticed it right away, based on the way they’d both frozen and stared at each other. A week later, they’d both said the words officially, and right afterwards announced they were dating.

Pidge, on the other hand, was a rare case. They didn’t have a soul mark (or it hadn’t formed yet, but that was even more rare than not having one. Usually the mark appeared sometime before a persons sixteenth birthday, after all) but that didn’t bother them in the slightest. “Science is my love!” The brunette had loudly proclaimed when asked about it, shrugging their petite shoulders, “I plan on being a world-renowned scientist one day, another person would just slow me down,” and that was that. Lance didn’t ask again, and Pidge genuinely seemed okay.

Lance was the only one still caught up in the mystery.

“Damnit, you idiot. Stop daydreaming. If you fail this class your parents are going to yell at me for not keeping you on task. Do you know how annoying that is? Getting a phone call once a month because you’re a moron-”

He rolled his eyes at the dull drone of Pidge’s voice, allowing his shoulders to drop dramatically as he hunched over his binder and began to scribble out the rest of the paragraph he’d been writing before getting distracted.

Life wasn’t so bad, he settled on absentmindedly, he was okay without his soulmate for now.

Hopefully they’d hurry and show up anyway.

 

—  —  —  —

 

By the time he’d finished his mini essay, Lance was sure he’d rather scratch his own eyes out than go to class. The idea of skipping came to mind, but one glance at Pidge stopped that in it’s tracked. He swore the brunette could read minds sometimes, thanks to the glare that they’d been throwing in his direction, it was almost as though they were already expecting the outcome.

Maybe he should make a break for it while they were walking. Pidge wouldn’t be able to keep up, thanks to their short legs.

“I’m telling you Pidge, your next invention should be a portable coffee machine. It’d be so convenient!” He blurted out, avoiding their gaze as he continued, “Then I wouldn’t have to go to the café so often, I could make a cup of coffee straight out of my backpack. Maybe that’s how I’d meet my soulmate! I could offer them a cup of coffee that I pulled out from my portable coffee backpack.”

“That’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard. Do you know how heavy a portable coffee maker would be? A twenty pound coffee creating backpack would hardly be considered portable anyway.”

Okay, so yeah, the ideas had some flaws. Lance still thought it was a great idea. “Alright, then make it a fifteen pound backpack… somehow. I can even help! I know how to do science-y stuff too–”

“First of all, the fact that you said science-y makes this entire situation even dumber, which I didn’t think was possible.”

With a huff, his arms crossed over his chest. Being friends with a too-smart-for-their-own-good gremlin could be so taxing. With them at his side, he really did feel like an idiot.

“Oh! There you guys are!” The addition of a third voice was enough to make both Pidge and Lance glance up, a smile immediately forming on their lips as they waved over the broad-shouldered form they’d come to know so well.

“We’ve been here practically all day and you know that. You were just too busy with Shay for the likes of us. Are we even still best friends, buddy? I’m starting to question it.” The words were soft, teasing, and Lance couldn't help the way his face lit up with a smile as he met Hunk’s warm gaze.

Regardless of how little their time together as a trio now was, he couldn’t be mad. If he had his soulmate, he was sure he’d disappear just as often as Hunk did. It was what everyone expected from idiots in love.

“It was her little brother’s birthday, I couldn’t exactly miss it. Plus, I did my homework last night like I was supposed to, and I didn’t want to be roped into letting you copy again.”

“Hey! That’s what best friends are for. Do you know how lucky we are to have the same major? I copy from you, and if you ever need to copy from me, you can!” The words escaped Lance in a form similar to a squeak, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “I mean, one day maybe I’ll do the homework and you’ll forget. And then guess what? You’ll need my help!”

His statement was ignored, leaving the man practically gawking as he watched his two friends fall into a conversation about science, hardly even offering him a glance.

Okay, so maybe he wasn’t the smartest in their friend group– or the second smartest, for that matter– but he wasn’t completely dumb, he just didn’t like putting in the effort that he probably should. It wasn’t his fault, though! Really, it wasn’t. His ability to focus had always been bad and paired with the task of living away from home and actually having to care for himself, the idea of doing school work on top of it was practically impossible. Sometimes he wondered if he was ready to be on his own, not that he’d ever admit that to someone.

“Sorry to interrupt but… can we save the science talk for, I don’t know, science class? I just want to get some coffee and relax, not stress over the… average size of a black hole in this galaxy.”

That caught Pidge and Hunk’s attention, and while they both seemed hesitant, they eventually nodded. “Ya’ know, you want to work for NASA, don’t you? You’d think you’d be more interested in learning about space. You’ll never be an astronaut if you don’t even pay attention during college classes.”

With a roll of his eyes, Lance offered a shrug to the words, “Your lack of belief in me is almost insulting.”

And then they were silent, the only sound between them being the steady sound of their feet hitting the side walk as they approached the all too familiar coffee shop, the only place on campus that offered any form of caffeine.

The small shop was privately owned, and honestly it had become like a second home for Lance this time of year. The early days of March still held a chill in the air, and in an attempt to combat the cool temperatures the tan boy settled himself here to finish off his homework, the steady supply of cinnamon coffee keeping him from completely losing his will to survive during exam season.

It helped, of course, that Coran, the owner, was quite possibly one of the most interesting people Lance had ever seen.

The man must have been no younger than forty yet held a skip in his step that not many people did. Shocking orange hair was accompanied by bright blue eyes, and of course, a mustache that was curled to perfection; an interesting sight to see, indeed. It didn’t help that Coran was also the nicest person he’d ever met, having taken to offering Lance free refills with the loud declaration of 'You’re one of my best customers! This just helps to ensure that you come back,' and of course, it did.

As they stepped into the warm building, a flood of calm overcame the trio, and just like that they were on line, patiently waiting to get up to the counter.

“Maybe I should try something different for once… have either of you ever had peppermint tea? I mean, I like peppermint and all, but is it even good in tea? What if I hate it?”

He turned his head towards his friends, mouth opening to continue, before suddenly he stopped short, blinking owlishly across the room.

Leaning up against the counter was the most beautiful boy he’d ever laid eyes on. Dark hair was pushed back from the other boys face, his mouth twisted up into an expression similar to a smile as he talked to one of the barista’s, a taller man with a scar along the bridge of his nose. They were close, Lance noted, and an odd pulse of jealousy rushed through his veins. But what was there to be jealous of? It was a stranger, he rationalized, itching idly at the mark on his wrist as it gave a rather painful sting. Either something bad was happening, or something good; honestly he couldn’t tell. These damn marks were just too confusing.

“I’m telling you, Shiro,” The kid was saying, his eyebrows coming together in a way that Lance found far too adorable, “I’m not made for college life. How mad would you be if I dropped out? Artist’s don’t need a college degree.”

“I would kill you, Keith… better yet, Allura would kill you and then she would kill me for letting you. Sorry, but you’re not getting me in trouble with my fiancé… again.”

The boy, Keith, let out a huff at that, his arms crossing over his chest as he glanced away; right in Lance’s direction.

Just like that, it all made sense.

A coil seemed to break in that exact moment, an unfamiliar rush of emotion hitting Lance all at once, accompanied by a sharp sting in the area of his soul mark. He made no sounds, simply watching at beautiful purple eyes widened in alarm, keeping his gaze as he took a few steps forward.

Any insecurities that Lance had once felt suddenly felt useless. The question of whether his soulmate would ever show up was finally answered. After years of waiting, years of searching, the answer to everything stood right in front of him.

“Hi,” He croaked out lamely, cringing at how raw his voice was, “I’m Lance.”

If he didn’t know any better, Keith looked like he might make a run for it right at that moment. His gaze tore from Lance, looking at the other man, Shiro, like he was waiting for him to jump in and save the day. It didn’t happen. If anything, Lance noted, Shiro looked almost in awe, his face turning up into a smile that almost screamed pride.

“Keith,” The dark haired man finally choked out, shoving out his hand in offering, “My name is Keith.”

Purple eyes were once again looking at him. Lance wondered what everyone would do if he fainted right then and there. Luckily, he didn’t.

“This might be incredibly forward,” Lance whispered, but slowly a grin was making its way to his features, his fingers reaching out to grasp Keith’s hand, but he didn’t let go, “But would you like to go out some time? Because I’d really like to go out with you some time.”

Keith seemed to pause, glancing down at their intertwined hands before his gaze traveled to Shiro again; pale cheeks flushing as he eventually offered a small nod.

“I’d like that.”

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is officially the first fanfiction I've written in over three years.  
> It's really nice to be back, especially with Lance, a character I relate to a little too much.  
> Since I haven't written in so long this might be a bit of a mess? Sorry about that.  
> It's also going to get a second part... eventually... probably soon because I have nothing better to do than write, but I guess it depends on my effort level. ( and if people even like this ? )
> 
> This work is completely unbeta'd, so if you see any mistakes please let me know! Any feed back is very, very appreciated. Thanks for reading? I don't know how to end this.
> 
> Tumblr @batgirlcfburnside


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